#dry forests

The composition of regrowing wet and dry tropical forests follow opposite pathways while these forests age. This fact has significant consequences for forest restoration initiatives. The findings of a new study published this week in Nature Ecology & Evolution provide insights to select the best tree species for a forest area, thus enhancing and accelerating tropical forest restoration success.

The islands of Hawaii have a variety of endemic species of different types of flora and fauna. Throughout the recent history of human intervention in the Hawaiian islands, it is estimated that nearly 90% of all native dry forest has been eliminated, “however, the actual extent of native dry forest cover may be as low as 1%” (sscnet.ucla.edu). The native plants that are endemic to the islands means that they only occur in that area only in the entire world. Hawaii has a vast diversity of species covering the Hawaiian islands, many native, but many invasive as well. In the history of the tropical dry forests, few of the original plant species include the Acacia koa (koa), which becomes co-dominant with the M. polymorpha, which are located in Kauai (sscnet.ucla.edu). The M.polymorphia is one of the endemic and natural species of plants in Hawaii that can grow as a tree or a shrub and grows bright flowers (hawaii.edu). The koa is an endemic species of tree that is known to be “the largest native tree in the Hawaiian Islands reaching heights of about 115 feet (33 m)” (hawaii.edu). A common type of plant found on the islands of Kauai and Molokai, is the dry shrubland. According to research conducted on islands in the Pacific, including Hawaii, it states that there is “a high proportion of evergreen species and a low number and proportion of semideciduous and deciduous species” are found in dry forests (hawaii.edu). So a complete look at the ecosystem’s history would include deciduous trees, shrubland, and wild grasses. “A Hawaiian dry forest consists of small trees, shrubs, and grasses and receives less than 127 cm (50 in) of rain per year” (hilo.hawaii.edu).

The first picture represents a restoration project being conducted on the island of Maui. http://hawp.org/auwahi-volunteer-trip-07-19-2014/

The second picture is of the acacia koa: http://www.hawaii.edu/calendar/manoa/2011/04/04/15071.html?et_id=19347